News broke Wednesday that Kyle Parker was designated for assignment in order to make room for Gerardo Parra on the 40-man roster. Parker was the club’s first-round pick in 2010 but he never developed into the big-league hitter the Rockies envisioned.

The Rockies decision to cut loose Parker got me thinking about their track record with their first-round draft choices.

It’s not good. Yes, the Rockies have struck gold in the later rounds — think Nolan Arenado (2009, second round), Charlie Blackmon (2008, second round) and Corey Dickerson (2010, eighth round). But there have been far too many busts and too much wasted money.

Bryan Kilpatrick of Purple Row notes the Rockies rank poorly when compared to the rest of the teams in the NL West and their production from first-round picks.

I understand that the MLB draft is a much different animal than the NFL draft. Yet for the Rockies, a team with a losing history and plenty of early first-round picks, draft busts are a very big deal. Here is a snapshot of their top picks since 2005:

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez let his emotions get the best of him against the Rockies Thursday night. (The Associated Press)

St. LOUIS — It’s not like this is the Giants-Dodgers or the Yankees-Red Sox, for heaven’s sake. But St. Louis Cardinals starter Carlos Martinez stirred up some hard feelings from the Rockies Thursday night.

Here, from my game story, is how it went down. Followed by reaction from players after the game:

Tempers flared in the fifth. Cardinals starting pitcher Carlos Martinez, perhaps unaccustomed to the way the Rockies were hitting him around the yard, plunked DJ LeMahieu in the left hip, loading the bases. The usually cool LeMahieu, who singled in his first two at-bats, became incensed and had to be restrained — first by (catcher Yadier) Molina, then by Colorado first-base coach Eric Young.

The inning ended on a double-play grounder to second by Ben Paulsen, after which Martinez slammed his glove to the ground in a show of raw emotion. He also flashed an obscene gesture toward the Rockies.

Rockies left-hander Christian Friedrich hit Wong in the upper back with two outs in the seventh, drawing the ire of St. Louis manager Mike Matheny. That put an end to the bad blood.

After the game, LeMahieu said he thought Martinez lost his temper because in the fourth inning, LeMahieu drilled a base hit up the middle, nearly hitting Martinez.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — It was not a command performance for Rockies right-hander Jordan Lyles.

His four innings against the White Sox on Tuesday afternoon were cluttered with five runs (all officially unearned), two hits, a walk and two hit batters.

The Rockies beat Chicago 7-6 at Camelback Ranch.

The fourth inning was a mess. Lyles plunked Melky Cabrera and Jose Abreu to open the inning and was then hurt by a rare error by second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who let Adam LaRoche’s grounder get through to right field. Lyles got two outs before Gordon Beckham rapped a two-run double and Tyler Flowers hit a two-run homer.

Jairo Diaz: At 6-feet, 248 pounds, he looks more like Broncos linebacker Von Miller than a relief pitcher from Venezuela. Diaz looks imposing and his sizzling 95-97 mph fastball adds to presence.

The 23-year-old was acquired from the Angels in an off-season trade for infielder Josh Rutledge. Diaz — who converted from catcher because he couldn’t hit — made just five big-league appearances in 2014, but struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out more than 13 batters per nine innings with a 2.20 ERA at Double-A Arkansas in 2014.

When Diaz got the unexpected call-up from the Angels late last summer, Diaz cried.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said.

He fits the power profile that GM Jeff Bridich and manager Walt Weiss want in their bullpen.

Rockies pitcher Christian Friedrich missed the tag on Milwaukee’s Jean Segura in the third inning of last Friday’s loss.

I think it’s fair to say that this has been the week from hell for the Rockies. After a promising run that landed Troy Tulowitzki on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Nolan Arenado in the franchise history books and the team atop the National League West, the Rockies have since fallen to 12th in the National League with a 34-42 record after losing their past seven straight.

Nearly their entire pitching corps is injured and/or struggling, and they rank last in the majors in team ERA (4.88). Tulowitzki consistently looks as though he’s on the verge of tears. And, frankly, the Rockies just look awful.

In less than a week, the Rockies went from having a surprising surplus of pitchers to struggling to fill out a rotation. Brett Anderson’s move to the disabled list Sunday — after breaking a finger during an at-bat, just his ninth career at-bat — is the latest setback to Colorado’s rotation.

Anderson posted a photo of the X-ray of his broken finger (with the caption “Not so much here or here but right here…” — an excellent Tommy Boy reference, by the way, in case you were about to look it up):

Right-hander Eddie Butler escaped a big inning because of his sinking fastball. He allowed one run in three innings. (Associated Press file).

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.– Hunter Pence didn’t wait until the regular season to wreck the Rockies. The free-swinging outfielder clubbed two home runs off Christian Friedrich and Madison Bumgarner worked five scoreless innings in the Giants’ 4-0 victory.

Friedrich was optioned to the minors this week, ending his chance of making the rotation. Manager Walt Weiss has been encouraged by the left-hander’s progress in his return from a serious back injury. Eddie Butler, the club’s top prospect, worked three innings, allowing one run on four hits. As Jon Gray did on Thursday night, Butler’s elevated pitchers weren’t missed. However, Weiss pointed out that Butler has the ability to minimize damage with his sinking fastball and changeup.

It’s unclear if Butler or Gray will pitch again in camp, but they have made statements that they aren’t far from reaching the big leagues.

Christian Friedrich has made an encouraging recovery from a serious back injury. He was optioned to the minors as the Rockies feel he needs to log more innings after missing almost all of last season. (Associated Press file)

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Christian Friedrich couldn’t hide his excitement about returning to the mound this spring after an 11-month layoff. He showed flashes of talent, but revealed plenty of rust. He was optioned to the minor leagues on Thursday, leading a parade of players that included another first-round pick Tyler Matzek.

Friedrich posted a 7.36 ERA in two games. He needs to log innings as he recovers from a serious back injury. Matzek was in the running for a bullpen spot until he walked four consecutive hitters on Wednesday. Manager Walt Weiss cautioned that the outing shouldn’t define Matzek’s camp because “he has come a long way.”

Rockies reliever Rex Brothers, right, is congratulated by catcher Wilin Rosario after closing out the Giants last season. Brothers has been one of the Rockies’ best first-round picks. (The Associated Press)

Excitement is percolating about Rockies pitching prospects Eddie Butler and Jon Gray. Rightly so. They have been impressive during spring training, both as pitchers and as young men.

Perhaps the Rockies have finally hit the jackpot with their first-round pitching selections. The track record up to this point has not been very good. Here’s a look back:

First-round Legacy
Pitchers selected by the Rockies in the first round of the draft during the era of general manager Dan O’Dowd (1999-2013):

2013, RHP Jonathan Gray, Oklahoma (3rd overall): Based on sheer talent, the hard-throwing Gray has a chance to be the best pitcher in Rockies history. In his first year in pro baseball, the former Oklahoma Sooner posted a 1.93 ERA and struck out 51 in 37 1/3 innings in rookie ball in Grand Junction and High-A Modesto. He’s looked very good in his first big-league camp.

Right-hander Eddie Butler has a chance to make his big-league debut with the Rockies this season.

2012, RHP Eddie Butler, Radford (46th *): There is a very good chance the talented Butler could pitch for the Rockies in 2014. Armed with a great, sinking fastball and a good slider and changeup, he roared through low-A Asheville, High-A Modesto and Double-A Tulsa last season, compiling a 1.80 ERA in 28 starts.

2011, LHP Tyler Anderson, Oregon (20th): The Rockies have been careful bringing along the lefty, but at this point he must be labeled a major disappointment, as he has yet to reach Double-A. He was terrific for Modesto last April, posting a 2.86 ERA before he was shut down in May with shoulder soreness. He returned to pitch solid in August, posting a 2.11 ERA and holding opponents to a .196 average against.

SCOTTSDALE — When Eddie Butler pitches, you half expect to see sparks sprinkle the mound. He is a live wire. And I am not just talking about his arm. His personality is electric. He has admittedly struggled in the past with showing his displeasure with umpires. He was pleased he was able to maintain his composure during his debut on Monday as the zone tightened in his third inning of work.

The video roundup from Monday:

Jon Gray made a strong impression his Cactus League debut. It was a bit odd because he pitched in relief for the first time since high school:

SCOTTSDALE — Christian Friedrich lasted just five outs, and struggled with his delivery in the stretch Monday. But following his spring debut, he was like a kid finding a bike under the Christmas Tree. Twenty months after injuring his back in the big leagues, Friedrich returned.

“I told myself to have fun. No matter the results, I was going to enjoy this,” Friedrich said. “It was so special to be back out there. It’s been a long time.”

The Rockies’ left-handed starter, who missed much of the last two seasons because of a lower-back problem, will start Monday night’s Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks. (It’s the second half of a split-squad day for the Rockies). It’s fair to say the Friedrich is ahead of schedule and will make a bid for a spot in the rotation now that right-hander Jhoulys Chacin is out with a shoulder strain.

“I’m throwing everything now,” Friedrich said Wednesday morning. “Some of the pitches I threw (Tuesday in live batting practice) felt really good. I was really able to let them go. I’ve had no issues with the back. There are no brakes being put on me, so whatever I can handle, I can handle.”

SCOTTSDALE — The Rockies have stressed situational hitting early in camp. There are multiple rounds where players work on moving runners over by hitting to the right side, driving runners in with the infield back and hitting fly balls with a runner on third and less than two outs.

PHOENIX — The first wave of the Rockies’ late-spring roster moves arrived Sunday with right-hander Tyler Chatwood and lefties Josh Outman and Christan Friedrich leading the way.

All three entered camp hoping to compete for a spot in the rotation, but Chatwood and Outman’s up-and-down performances and Friedrich’s lower-back issues resulted in them being optioned to minor-league camp. All three will likely begin the season as starters for Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Third-base prospect Nolan Arenado was not among those cut Sunday, a strong signal that he’s still in the running to make the opening-day roster.

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. —Lefty Christian Friedrich worked out like a demon during the offseason, determined to make a run at the starting rotation. That’s no likely going to happen now.

Returning from lower-back issues, Friedrich made his first Cactus League start Friday against the Giants. Enormous homers — a solo shot by Hunter Pence in the first and a two-run blast by Brandon Belt in the third — provided evidence that Friedrich is not yet ready for prime time. In three innings, Friedrich gave up four runs on five hits.

HITS: Carlos Gonzalez, owner of the sweetest swing since Ken Griffey Jr., hit a two-run homer in the first, driving in Dexter Fowler. Though CarGo’s swing looked effortless, he drove the ball about 430 feet to center. It was Gonzalez’s second home run.

Across town in Surprise, the other half of the Rockies’ split squad hammered Texas Rangers pitching. Catcher Wilin Rosario launched another homer, this one a three-run shot. It was his second straight game with a homer and third homer this spring.

Lefty set-up man Rex Brothers maintained his 0.00 ERA. He pitched the fifth, giving up a hit but erasing it with a double-play grounder. Brothers needed the work because he’s been so efficient. He set the Giants in order Thursday night, notching two strikeouts. In seven innings, he has 11 strikeouts and just two walks.

MISSES: Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, Colorado’s opening-day starter, tweaked his lower back while working out on Thursday. As a result, he was scratched from his start in Friday’s split-squad game against the Rangers in Surprise. The Rockies believe Chacin will be fine, but they held him out as a precaution.

Veteran right-handed reliever Miguel Batista’s chances of making the team as a middle reliever took another hit Friday. The Giants pounded him for two homers and five runs in two innings.

UP NEXT: Left-hander Jorge De La Rosa will try to stay in a groove for the third straight game Saturday night when the Rockies host the Padres at Salt River Fields. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. (MDT). De La Rosa, who battled command issues early in spring, has a 2.84 ERA.

He pitched five effective innings Monday night against the Reds, allowing one run on just two hits. He struck out four and walked two. He baffled the Reds with his off-speed pitches, but more than that, he was composed on the mound — something missing from his early spring starts.

“Everything was working — my changeup and my slider,” he said. “My location was much better.”

“It was a good outing,” manager Walt Weiss said.

De La Rosa showed no sign of the on-mound frustration that marked his early spring starts.

“There is an awareness about that for him,” Weiss said. “Sometimes he gets frustrated on the mound, and that’s been his history and that’s part of who he is. But as long as he can channel it and clear his head before he makes his pitches, that’s the bottom line. But he’s in a good place now and there has been improvement with every outing.”

The Reds brought their A lineup to Salt River Fields and De La Rosa was pleased with how he handle it.

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — I received an interesting email Saturday morning. A reader and Rockies fan wanted to know why pitchers such as Christian Friedrich and Juan Nicasio are still working to develop a changeup after they have already reached the big leagues.

The reader thought it was ridiculous, figuring the changeup should be taught and developed at the lower levels.

He also wanted to know if the Rockies were the only team with major-leaguers still learning how to master the changeup.

A week ago, Helton woke up with a sore left knee after playing in night game against the Royals. Last November, he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in that same knee.

“It’s getting better,” he said. “I was worried for a day, but I feel good now.”

Friedrich update: Lefty Christian Friedrich,coming back from a sore lower back, will finally pitch in a game on Monday. The plan is for him to throw two innings, though he doesn’t know yet if it will be a big-league game or a minor-league game.

“Throwing to the mitt only gets you so far,” said Friedrich, who threw live batting practice Thursday. “It helps you find your command, but there’s nothing like throwing in a live game.”

Friedrich has been working on a changeup to compliment his two-seam fastball.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.